Xiaomi today launched the successor to the massively popular Redmi Note 4, the Redmi Note 5. The company has launched the phone in two different variants this time around to cater to a wider range of audience and cover a wider price band.
On paper, the Redmi Note 5 does not make for a huge upgrade over the Redmi Note 4. Instead, the true successor of the Redmi Note 4 is the Redmi Note 5 Pro which comes with significantly powerful internals and some new features. The major differences between the Redmi Note 4 and Redmi Note 5 are the switch to a 5.99-inch FHD+ 18:9 aspect ratio display on the latter and an improved rear camera. Otherwise, both handsets feature the same internals — a Snapdragon 625 chipset, 3/4GB RAM, 5MP selfie snapper, and a 4000mAh battery.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro is significantly better than both handsets as it packs in more powerful internals, a dual-camera setup at the rear, and a higher-resolution selfie snapper at the front which also allows it to offer face unlock.
Check out our detailed spec comparison of the three devices below to see the differences between them.
| Basis of Difference | Redmi Note 5 | Redmi Note 5 Pro | Redmi Note 4 |
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05 mm | 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 mm | 151 x 76 x 8.3 mm |
| Weight | 180g | 181g | 165g |
| Display | 5.99-inch FHD+ (2160 x 1080), 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.99-inch FHD+ (2160 x 1080), 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD, 2.5D curved glass |
| Chipset | Octa-core Snapdragon 625 chip @ 2GHz | Octa-core Snapdragon 636 chip @ 1.8GHz | Octa-core Snapdragon 625 chip @ 2GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 506 | Adreno 510 | Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 3/4GB RAM | 3/4/6GB RAM | 2/3/4GB RAM |
| Storage | 32/64GB | 32/64GB | 32/64GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP F/2.2, 1.25um pixel, Dual-LED flash | 12MP F/2.2, 1.25um pixel, Dual-LED flash | 13MP, f/2.0 aperture, 1.12um pixel, Dual-LED flash |
| Front Camera | 5MP, LED selfie light, Beautify 3.0 | 20MP, LED selfie light, Beautify 4.0 | 5MP, Beautify 3.0 |
| Sensors | Fingerprint scanner (Rear), Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light sensor, eCompass | Fingerprint scanner (Rear), Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light sensor, eCompass | Fingerprint scanner (Rear), Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light sensor, eCompass |
| Connectivity | LTE, (Hybrid) Dual SIM, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB | LTE, (Hybrid) Dual SIM, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB | LTE, (Hybrid) Dual SIM, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB |
| Battery | 4000mAh | 4000mAh | 4000mAh |
| Software | MIUI 9, Android 7.1.2 | MIUI 9, Android 7.1.2 | MIUI 9, Android 7.1.1 |
| Others | Face Unlock |
The Redmi Note 5 makes for a very modest upgrade over the Redmi Note 4. If you already own a Redmi Note 4 then there’s little reason for you to upgrade to the Redmi Note 5. Instead, you should look at the Redmi Note 5 Pro which is an ideal upgrade for existing Redmi Note 5 Pro users.
What do you think about the Redmi Note 5 as an existing Redmi Note 4 user? Are you disappointed by the lack of internal upgrades on it? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
